Mobile refrigeration unit



Dec. 12, 1950 H. c. HoPP MOBILE REFRIGERATION UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 12, 1944 u o. w u n u u L 1 n e e d u 4. L a n. a. e n f u l INVENTOR Y f v @ik ATTORNV 5 Dec. l2, 1950 C, Hopp MOBILE REFRIGERATION UNI';`

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 12, 1944 l u .V a, m m

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 MOBILE REFRIGERATION UNIT Harold C. Hopp, Des Plaines, Ill., assigner, by mesne assignments, to .Frigld Transport Cornpany, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 12, 1944, Serial No. 549,156

11 Claims.

This invention relates to mobile refrigeration units.

In the patents to Oliver C. Irwin, No. 2,316,791 and 2,316,792, there are disclosed mobile refrigeration units wherein a portion of an absorption type refrigeration system is carried by the unit while the remainder of the system is nonm0bile. The equipment of the mobile unit consists of a .refrigerant holder, an evaporator and an absorbent holder in combination with means whereby the evaporator and absorber may be periodically resupplied with fresh refrigerant and absorbent respectively from the non-mobile portion of the system.

An object of this invention is a mobile refrigeration unit of the Irwin type in which the arrangement of the reirigerating equipment carried thereby is such as to provide maximum storage space within the unit. l

In a mobile refrigeration unit embodying the invention, only the evaporator is contained within the body of the unit. The refrigerant holder and the absorbent holder are located exterior of the unit body and may, if desired, be supported beneath the body. Suitable pipes connect the evaporator between the refrigerant holder and the absorbent holder and means are provided for controlling the flow of liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant holder to the evaporator. With this arrangement, the entire space within the unit body except that occupied by the evaporator is available for storage.

y'C )ther objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a section through a railway car embodying one modification of the invention, the section being taken on the line I-I of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 isan enlarged vertical section through the absorber;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of a modification. and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the modification of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the modification of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, Ill designates the body of a, railway car equipped with suitable running gear II, the body being suitably heat insulated. 'Iwo headers I2 and I3 respectively are mounted within the body near the ceiling thereof, the

lIi

header I2 being arranged near the right end of the body and the header I3 being arranged near the left endv of the body. A plurality of pipes I4 run longitudinally of the body Il! and communicate at one end with the lower portion of the header I2 and at the other end with the lower portion of `the header I3, these pipes being equipped with thin circular fins I5.

The header I2 is provided with a dome I6 and the header I3 is provided with a similar dome I1. At the right end of the bodyv I0 a tank Il vis supported below the floor of the body III and exterior thereof. A pipe I9 leads from the .tank I8 t'o the dome I6. Within the dome I6 is pivotally supported a valve 20 adapted in one position to engage and close the end of the pipe III.v A oat 2| is attached to the valve 2li by a stem 22, the float being so arranged as to actuate the valve 20 in accordance with the liquid level in the header I0 to control flow of liquid through the pipe I9.

At the left end of the body I0, a tank 23 is supported beneath the floor of the body and exterior of said body. A pipe 24 leads from the dome Il to the lower portion of the tank 23 and extends thereinrto a considerable distance. The pipe 24 is closed at the end thereof in the tank 23 but Is provided with a plurality of small apertures 25 establishing communication between the interior and exterior of the pipe.

A pipe 2B leads from the upper portion of the header I3 to the' upper portion of the header I2 with the juncture of the pipe 26 and they header I2 being above the level maintained in the header I2 by the float valve arrangement 20, 2I, 22. A pipe 21 leads from the pipe I9 to the bottom of the header I2. A valve 29 in the pipe I9 and a valve 29 in the pipe I1 are provided for selectively directing liqiud flow either into the dome I6 o r into the bottom of the header I2. A needle valve 30 is provided in the pipe 2l.

The headers I2 and I3 together with the pipes I4 and 26 constitute the evaporator of an absorption refrigeration system. The tank I8 contains anhydrous ammonia while the tank 23 contains a weak solution of aqua ammonia. The an.- hydrous ammonia in the tank I8 is subjected to its own vapor pressure which causes the flow of anhydrous ammonia through the pipe I9 to the dome I6 with the valve 28 open and the valve 29 closed. The influx of anhydrous ammonia into the header I2 is controlled by the float valve ar.- rangement 20, 2|, 22 so as to maintain the liquid level in the header I2 just high enough to keep the mouth of the pipes I4 covered with liquid Some liquid ammonia may collect in the header I3 but flow thereof to the tank 23 is prevented by provision of the pipe 26 which returns liquid from the header I3 to the header I2 thereby preventing the liquid level in the header I3 from reaching the level of the exit from the dome I1 to the pipe 24.

Under certain circumstances, the float valve arrangement may be omitted and the refrigerant be Introduced into the header I2 through the needle valve 38 by way of the pipe 21. For this type of operation. the valve 28 is closed and the valve 28 is opened. y

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. and 6, a vertical tank 3| is arranged in the upper portion of the body I0 near one end thereof. A pipe I3 leads from the refrigerant holder I8 to the lower portion of the tank 3I while a pipe 24 leads from the upper end of the tank 3l to the absorbent holder 23. Transverse 4headers 32 and 33 are connected to the tank 3| by pipes 34 and 33 respectively, the header 32 being at lower level than the header 33 and the pipe 34 communicating with the bottom of the tank 3| while the pipe 33 communicates with the tank 3i at a higher level. A plurality of U-shaped pipes 36 have one end connected to the header 32 and the remaining end connected to the header 33, the pipes extending longitudinally of the car with one leg of the U being at a higher elevation than the remaining leg. These pipes are equipped with ilus 31. A float valve 38 controls the flow of liquid from the tank I3 through the pipe' I9 so as to maintain the level of liquid within the tank 3l sufficiently high completely to close the pipe 34' oi' anhydrous ammonia in the tank I8 and forb withdrawing spent absorbent from the tank 23 and introducing fresh absorbent thereinto, Also. the tank 23 preferably is equipped with cooling ilns 43.

with respect w each embodiment. the arrangement is such that maximum storage space is made available within the body II). The only parts of the refrigerating apparatus contained within the body are the coils constituting the evaporator and the flow control means. The arrangement of these members at the top of the body makes the entire floor area available for storage.

Although the invention has been disclosed as embodied in a railway car. it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to trucks. trailers and anyl form of mobile unit. Furthermore. although the absorbent and refrigerant holders have been disclosed as supported beneath the vehicle body. the invention contemplates arrangement of these holders elsewhere of said body extericr thereof. In addition, while it is preferable to arrange the evaporator adjacent the body oeiling. the evaporator may be differently located as desired or required. Also, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the embodiments above described without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. i

I claim:

l. A mobile refrigeration unit comprising va body mounted on wheels, a refrigerant holder and an absorbent holder supported by said body. an evaporator supported within said body, pipes for conducting liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant holder to the evaporator and vaporized refrigerant from said evaporator to the absorbent holder, means for regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant to said evaporator to maintain a predetermined liquid level therein, and means whereby the refrigerant holder and the absorbent holder may be periodically supplied with fresh refrigerant and absorbent respectively.

2. A mobile refrigeration unit comprising a body mounted on wheels, a refrigerant holder and an absorbent holder supported by said body, a first header and a second header within said body, substantially U-shaped pipes having one end connected to the first header and the re'- maining end connected to the second header. a tank within said body adjacent the ceiling near one end, pipes connecting said headers to the tank at different elevations. a pipe for conducting liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant holder to the lower portion of said tank. a pipe for conducting vaporized refrigerant from the upper end of said tank to said absorbent holder, and means for regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant to said tank.

3. A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 2 in which the headers extend transversely of the car body adjacent the ceiling near one end and the U-shapedpipes are arranged longitudinally of the body near the ceiling.

4. A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 1 in which one or both holders are located beneath the body of said unit.

5 A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 2 in which one or both holders are located beneath the body of said unit.

6. A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 2 in which the headers extend transversely of the car body adjacent the ceiling near one end and the U-shaped pipes are arranged longitudinally of the body near the ceiling and one or both holders are located beneath the body of said unit.

7. A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 2 in which the means for regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant to said tank include automatic means to maintain the level of the liquid refrigerant in said tank above the point of entry of the lower pipe to said tank and below the level of the point of entry of the upper pipe to said tank.

8. A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 2 in which the headers extend transversely of the car body adjacent the ceiling near one end and the U-shaped pipes are arranged longitudinally of the body near the ceiling and in which the means for regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant to said tank include automatic means to maintain the level of the liquid refrigerant in said tank above the point of entry of the lower pipe to said tank and below the level of the point of entry of the upper pipe to said tank.

9. A mobile refrigeration unit comprising -a body mounted on wheels, a refrigerant holder and an absorbent holder supported by said body, a iirst header and a second header within said body. substantially U-shaped pipes having one end connected to the first header and the remaining end connected to the second header. a tank within said body adjacent the ceiling near one end, connections from said `headers to the tank at diierent elevations, a pipe for conducting liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant holder to said tank, a pipe for conducting vaporized reirigerant from said tank to said absorbent holder, and means responsive to the liquid level in said tank for regulating the flow of liquid refrigerant thereto.

19. A mobile refrigeration unit comprising a body mounted on Wheels, a refrigerant holder and an absorbent holder supported by said body, a' rst header and a second header within said body, substantially U-shaped pipes connected at one end to the first header and at the remaining end to the second header, a tank within said body adjacent the ceiling near one end, connections from said headers to said tank at diierent elevations, connections for supplying liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant holder to said tank, connections for conducting vaporized rei'rigerant from said tank to said absorbent holder, and means for regulating the fiow of liquid refrigerant to said tank to maintain a predetermined level of liquid refrigerant in the tank.

l1. A mobile refrigeration unit according to claim 10 in which the headers extend transversely of the body and the U-shaped pipes are arranged longitudinally of the body near the ceiling.

HAROLD C. HOPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 319,434 Wren June 2, 1885 1,757,764 Burrows May 6, 1930 1,854,090 Wright Apr. 12, i932 1,861,518 Wright June 7, 1932 1,862,604 Miller June 14, 1932 1,944,799 Miller Jan. 23, 1934 2,316,791 Irwin Apr. 20, 1943 2,316,792 Irwin Apr. 20, 1943 

